Notes for teachers

Here is the process after the initial blog has been created. We are using a multi-user install of WordPress but the principles could be applied to most blogging software.

  1. Fill in the About page to outline the plan for the blog.
  2. Create a Guidelines page.
  3. Create three new categories - Nominated Item - Entered Blog 101 - Escaped Blog 101
  4. Create an initial post to model the type of writing in nominating something to go into Blog 101.
  5. Use the comments on the nominated item post above to discuss with students the merits or non-redeeming features of the proposed Blog 101 entrant.
  6. Use the democracy plug-in (or other polling software) to create and display a poll about the nominated item.
  7. Run the vote for a set amount of time.
  8. Edit the initial post to be added to the ‘Entered Blog 101′ or ‘Escaped Blog 101′ category.

Once you have been through the process once, you can let students start to nominate their own entrants to Blog 101. If you add students as users to the blog with ‘Contributor’ access they will be able log in and write a nominating post that will need to be moderated by the teacher before publishing.

This blog could be used in many curricular areas to address a whole range of issues and styles of writing. If anyone would like to propose an entry into Blog 101 or collaborate with some of my students or schools then feel free to leave a comment. Feel free to vote on the issues as well.